Looking for practical Ga to Tswana phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Ga phrase first, then the Tswana translation (Tswana) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Tswana.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Tswana-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Ga to Tswana translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Oyiwa
Dumela
Medasi
Ke a leboga
Meda wo akye
Dumelang
Meda wo aha
Dumela mo afternoon
Meda wo nkyɛn
Dumela mo evening
Meda wo da
Borai
Yɛbɛhyia bio
Tsamaya sentle
Nante yie
Tsamaya sentle
Wo din de sɛn?
O na le leina mang?
Me din de John
Leina la me ke John
Ɛyɛn sɛn?
O kae?
Ɛyɛ me dɛ sɛ me ne wo bɔ nkɔmmɔ
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Wɔyɛ English?
A o bua Seisemane?(Wɔyɛ English?)
Mɛnkɔ Hindi yie
Ke sitwa go bua Hindi sentle(Mɛnkɔ Hindi yie)
Mɛnhu
Ke sitwa go tlhaloganya(Mɛnhu)
Mepa wo kyɛw, kasa mmerɛ
Tsweetswee bua ka bonako(Mepa wo kyɛw, kasa mmerɛ)
Bɛyɛ a, ka no bio?
A o ka bo o bua seo gape?(Bɛyɛ a, ka no bio?)
Ɛhe na ɛyɛ toilet?
Borai bo kae?(Ɛhe na ɛyɛ toilet?)
Ɛyɛ dɛn na mɛkɔ kurow no mu?
Ke tshela jang go ya borai jwa motse?(Ɛyɛ dɛn na mɛkɔ kurow no mu?)
Bɔ nifa
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le letona(Bɔ nifa)
Bɔ benkum
Fetola go ya ka letlhako le lebaganeng(Bɔ benkum)
Kɔ mmerɛ
Tswelela ka fao(Kɔ mmerɛ)
Ɛyɛ sɛn na fare no?
Gaeletsi e bokae?(Ɛyɛ sɛn na fare no?)
Ticket baako, mepa wo kyɛw
Tikit e le nngwe, tsweetswee(Ticket baako, mepa wo kyɛw)
Ɛyɛ akyirikyiri fi ha?
A ke kgole go tswa fano?(Ɛyɛ akyirikyiri fi ha?)
Mɛyɛ abɔfo
Ke a latlhela(Mɛyɛ abɔfo)
Ɛhe na mɛtumi atɔ SIM card?
Borai ke ka fao ke ka rekang SIM card?(Ɛhe na mɛtumi atɔ SIM card?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Aane
Ee
Mii
Nnyaa
Mɛyɛ
Mafoko
Mɛyɛ a
Ke a dumela
Mɛyɛ nɔ
Ke sitwa go dumela
Eyi yɛ fɛ
Seo se utlwisa molemo
Dɛn na wopɛ?
O akanya eng?
Wobɛtumi aboa me?
O ka nthusa?
Mepɛ aboa
Ke tlhoka thuso
Tɔ ɔkɛse bi
Emisa motsotso
Mepa wo kyɛw
Ke maswabi
Nni asɛm
Ga go na bothata
Akyɛdeɛ
A re amogele
Afehyia pa
Tlhogomelo e e monate
Nya ɔkwan pa
O seka wa tsamaea ka bolokegong
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ehe ni eba train station?
Ke kae borai jwa terene?(ke kae borai jwa terene)
Ehe ni eba bus stop?
Ke kae borai jwa boso?(ke kae borai jwa boso)
Nii platform ni?
Ke phetogo efe?(ke phetogo efe)
Naa he ni eba?
Nako efe e tlogang?(nako efe e tlogang)
Eyi ni kwɛ he?
A ke tsela e e siameng?(a ke tsela e e siameng)
Eyi yɛ hɔ kɛkɛ.
E kgaogang fa(e kgaogang fa)
Eyi yɛ hɔ mli.
E le kgakala le fa(e le kgakala le fa)
Wɔbɛtɔ mɛ map no?
O ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape?(o ka nthusa go bontsha mo mape)
Gyae hɔ, please.
Emisa fa, tsweetswee(emisa fa, tsweetswee)
Naa he ni yɛ?
E tsaya nako e kae?(e tsaya nako e kae)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Ehe ni kɛ?
Ke bokae?(ke bo kae?)
Ɛyɛ dɔɔso
Seo ke se expensive(se ke se expensive)
Wɔnya biribi a ɛyɛ mmerɛ?
A o na le sengwe se se cheap?(a o na le sengwe se se cheap?)
Mɛtɔ kaad?
Na nka lefa ka khadi?(na nka lefa ka khadi?)
Mɛpɛ dɔkita mli mli
Ke kopa tafole ya babedi(ke kopa tafole ya babedi)
Bɔtɔ mli, please
Bille, tsweetswee(bille, tsweetswee)
Service no wɔ he?
Na tshebeletso e akaretswe?(na tshebeletso e akaretswe?)
Mɛyɛ vegetarian
Ke movegetarian(ke mo vegetarian)
Mɛpɛ abɔdɔ mli, please
A re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee(a re na le dijo tse di spicy, tsweetswee)
Ɛyɛ dɛ
Se ke se monate(se ke se monate)
Mɛtɔ menu?
Na nka nna le menu?(na nka nna le menu?)
Nsu mli, please
Glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee(glasi ya metsi, tsweetswee)
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bɔ ɔmanpanyin no
Bua le mapolesa(bɔ ɔmanpanyin no)
Bɔ abɔfoɔ
Bua le ambulance(bɔ abɔfoɔ)
Mɛhia dɔkita
Ke tlhoka ngaka(mɛhia dɔkita)
Mɛyɛ yare
Ke ikutlwa ke sitwa(mɛyɛ yare)
Meyɛ ɔyarefoɔ kɛseɛ wɔ nkuto
Ke na le allergy go peanuts(meyɛ ɔyarefoɔ kɛseɛ wɔ nkuto)
Ɛhe na ɔyarehɔ a ɛyɛ bɛn?
Hospitale e kgethegileng e kae?(ɛhe na ɔyarehɔ a ɛyɛ bɛn?)
Ɛyɛ me yare ha
Go botlhoko fa(ɛyɛ me yare ha)
Mefii me paspɔt
Ke sitwa passport ya me(mefii me paspɔt)
Wobɛtumi abɔ me hɔtel no?
O ka bua le hotele ya me?(wobɛtumi abɔ me hɔtel no?)
Mɛboa!
Thusa!(mɛboa!)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Mikɛ nɔ ni
Ke itumetse go kopana le wena(Mikɛ nɔ ni)
Mɛyɛ yɛn nɔɔ
A re beye ngwaga ya kopano(Mɛyɛ yɛn nɔɔ)
Bɛyɛ dɔkita bɛn?
Nako efe e go thusang?(Bɛyɛ dɔkita bɛn?)
Mɛyɛ nɔɔ lɛ nɛ
Ke tla romela reporteng gompieno(Mɛyɛ nɔɔ lɛ nɛ)
Nɔ yɛkɛ nɔ lɛ?
A re ka bua ka borai?(Nɔ yɛkɛ nɔ lɛ?)
Mɛbɔ file no
Tsweetswee, etse fa faele e amanang(Mɛbɔ file no)
Medɔ wo nɔ
Ke a leboga ka nako ya gago(Medɔ wo nɔ)
Mɛyɛ nɔɔ lɛ mɔ
Ke itumelela go dira le wena(Mɛyɛ nɔɔ lɛ mɔ)
Nɔ bɛyɛ kɛ nɔ?
A o ka tlhalosa ntlha eo?(Nɔ bɛyɛ kɛ nɔ?)
Mɛyɛ nɔ lɛ
A ke boele go wena(Mɛyɛ nɔ lɛ)
Nɔ lɛ Friday
Nako ya go fela ke Labohlano(Nɔ lɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.